Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 93387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
I measured out the coffee and began to pour the milk when I heard it. Some other women were now in the staff room. They were in the lounge area, so they couldn’t see me.
“Did you see the outfit she was wearing today? I swear she buys her clothes from my grandmother’s attic. Does she really think she looks good?”
I stiffened, recognizing Verity’s voice. I disliked her and her fake pleasantness. I had heard her rip other assistants apart, then smile when she saw them, pretending to be nice—exactly as I thought she would do. I avoided her and her little clique as much as possible.
“Seriously, she has no style. She struts around here like she owns the place just because she’s Bane’s assistant of the month,” she complained. “How she got that job is a mystery.”
“Probably on her knees,” her sidekick Rhonda said snidely. The other woman with them snickered.
I shut my eyes, shaking my head and continuing to make Bane’s coffee. I tried to ignore the fact that my hand was shaking a little.
“She’s on borrowed time. He never keeps anyone. I heard he’s already complaining about her,” one of them said with a snicker.
My head snapped up.
He was? I gripped the counter. Was this about the coffee thing? Was he that upset with me?
“Between her flippant attitude, her embarrassing wardrobe, and her looks, she won’t be around long,” Verity assured her. “Does she think covering herself in layers and lace hides how fat she is? Can you imagine what sort of getup she’ll wear to the awards banquet tomorrow? She’ll embarrass the entire company. He’ll fire her on Monday. If she lasts that long.”
I blinked at the sudden moisture in my eyes, then reminded myself to ignore them.
“I can’t stand her. She’s a joke,” Rhonda said. “Acting like she’s a big shot. Friends with all the little people—like that makes her better. Who cares about Pete or the cleaning woman?”
“She’s friends with them because she’s one of them. The nothings,” Verity spat. “I applied for that job. I should have gotten it. I have experience in the company, and I could be so useful to him.”
“Behind the desk or under it?” Rhonda asked.
“Both. I’d suck him so good, he’d forget everything and everyone else.”
There was another round of laughter. I couldn’t listen to them anymore. I headed out the back hallway door, coffee forgotten. I was horrified at what they were saying. Not only about me, but Mr. Bane. The disrespect. The horrible image of Verity doing that to him. Being close to him at all.
And she had hit the proverbial nail on the head when it came to me. Poking at my clothes, my weight, my attitude, and my work ethic. The fact that I was embarrassing.
I slipped into the bathroom, closing the stall door behind me. I leaned on the cold metal, taking in some deep breaths.
They were jealous. Spiteful. Nothing they said mattered.
I kept repeating those words to myself.
I heard the door open and a quiet voice say my name. “Magnolia? Are you okay?”
I recognized Rylee’s voice. Unlike the other women, she was sweet and kind. Friendly. We hadn’t gotten the chance to hang out together yet, but I liked her.
“I’m fine.”
“I heard those cows,” she said. “I told them off.”
I opened the door. “You did what?”
She was short like me. Curvy, too. Sweet and soft-spoken. Usually quiet. Everyone liked her. Her stature and disposition hid an incredible talent for all things computer. I had heard she was the smartest of them all and could write code no one else could. I knew the partners, including Bane, thought the world of her.
But imagining her going against Verity made my head spin.
“Why would you do that?”
Her normally warm green eyes flashed. Right now, they looked like hard pieces of jade. “They’re horrible, and they were all lying to make themselves feel better. Jealous bitches.”
“They aren’t wrong. I’m not like the other assistants.”
“That’s why I like you. You’re real and nice. You’re polite and friendly. Honest.” She smiled, dimples appearing on her cheeks. “And I like the way you dress. You always look so pretty.”
“Thank you.”
She stepped forward, laying a hand on my arm. “Ignore them. Don’t let them get into your head. Be you.”
I smiled, patting her hand. “Thanks, Rylee. Are you going to the awards banquet tomorrow?”
She nodded with a frown. “I was told I had to.”
“We could sit together.”
“Oh, I’d love that!”
“Okay. It’s a date.”
She chuckled. “Awesome.”
She left, and I stared in the mirror, wiping my eyes and blowing my nose. I straightened my shoulders and headed back to my desk.
I sat down, frowning at my computer. A moment later, Bane yelled my name, and I went to his door, which was ajar.
“Yes, sir?”
He looked displeased. “Did you get lost?”
“Lost?” I repeated.
“On the way to get my coffee.” He made a show of glancing at his wrist. “It’s been twenty minutes.”